Day 137; Qur’an 15:90-99; 16:1-14, page 267 + 268

Welcome Friends:  Ahlan wa sahlan!

Yusuf Ali’s Translation of our new Chapter.

Muhammad Asad’s Translation of our new Chapter.

Their commentaries can only be read in verse by verse view.

COMMENTS:

PAGE 267 Arabic Qur’an.

 

1.  When we concluded our last Reading, Prophet Muhammad, peace upon him, was addressed as having received the ‘Seven-Mathaani’ and the Great Qur’an, and was told to announce that he was the Clear/Evident Warner.

    Today, four VERY IMPORTANT verses continue, bearing an accusation related to certain persons' inappropriate handling of the ‘Qur’an’ in verses 90-91, and then promising them dire consequence:

“Therefore, by your Lord, indeed, We will surely call them to account altogether (92) concerning what they were doing! (93)

So, who are these persons called altogether to account, and what exactly, had they been doing to the Qur'an?

The accusation is in Verse (90) which tells us that, similarly, God delivered/sent down to the ‘Partitioners/ Dividers’ those who (literally, in Verse 91) rendered the Qur’an ‘torn apart’ (‘iddeen(عضين- [i].
After that we read: "Therefore, by your Lord, indeed, We will surely call them to account altogether (92) concerning what they were doing!" (93)

This IS a serious accusation, people ‘tearing limbs off’ the Qur’anic whole!  But, who are these ‘Partitioners/ Dividers,' and how did they take the Qur'an apart?

Zamakhshari and others have offered two explanations, stating that these verses could refer to:

·   People of (earlier) Compilation having believed in certain parts of their ‘Qur’an,’ or Scriptures, and belied/ denied others.

·   The Meccans who used to spread out amongst newcomers and pilgrims, forming groups they would confer with, taking the Qur’an apart and discrediting it.

Dear Reader:  Do you see what I see? 

Regarding the first explanation: 

It is true that they mishandled their Scriptures (HQ 2:75, 85; 4:46; 5:13, 41) however, using the term ‘Qur’an’ to describe the earlier Compilation is unlikely.  On the other hand, IF it indeed refers here to the original Torah and Evangel, it would only prove that the People of (earlier) Compilation had also started out with something interactive.

As for the second explanation:

It is a possibility, but we cannot limit it to that understanding, especially since the verse ends with the word ‘altogether ‘)‘ajma’een(أجمعين- denoting a larger number of incidents or groups.

I see this verse as TIMELESS: 

The ‘Dividers’ probably include both groups mentioned above, as well as any who do the same today.  However, more importantly FOR US, the term also includes anyone and everyone who tampers verbally with the Qur’an- detaching parts of it from the whole, as one would detach limbs from a body.  This also applies to those who explain its verses subjectively, either to serve their own interests or to follow their forefathers, who have put to use only the bits they like or understand, and have called the other bits: ‘Abrogated.’ 

It is the ‘Qur’an’ we tamper with when we stick to certain explanations, and blind ourselves to its replenishing wonders, and by so doing, the Qur’an to us, becomes a ‘static’ Compilation.  A most serious matter, indeed!

 

2. Verses 94- 95- 96 tell the Messenger to ‘expound / proclaim’ openly what he has been commanded (Ali/Asad) even as he turns away from the Associaters/ Idolaters, for God suffices him against the ‘Taunters’ who ascribe partners to God, and will come to know (the seriousness of their deeds).

Historical narratives say that the Prophet had been keeping a low profile until these verses were revealed, peace upon him.

Verse 97 consoles the Prophet on one hand, and shows us his heartfelt distress at their words!  We already read of such feelings in HQ 7:2; 11:12.

The balm/cure/remedy to such feelings is in Verse 98- 99:

To get into spiritual/ mental action such as ‘tasbeeh,’ AND physical action such as ‘sujood,’ AND to worship our Lord until the arrival of Certitude )yaqeen(يقين- .  
Note:  
This 'Certitude' is mostly explained as 'Death.' 
(See HQ 74:46-47, which is similarly explained).  


However, research seems to provide a second explanation:  Although humans shall have 'certainty' at the time of death, it seems that the Messenger's 'certainty/ yaqeen' came to him at the time of 'Israa' (one reason why it was such an epic in itself)!  See post on Chapter 53; 'The Star.'  

سورة النحل

The Bee

Yusuf Ali :

“In subject-matter it sums up, from a new point of view, the arguments on the great questions of God’s dealings with Man.. the new point of view is that Nature points to Nature’s God.”

Muhammad Asad:

“…this Surah was revealed a few months before the Prophet's emigration to Medina. …

The title….. is based on the reference, in verses 68-69, to the marvelous instance of God's creativeness manifested in the instincts with which He has endowed the bee. Indeed, it is the evidence of the Creator's purposeful activity that provides the subject-matter of most of this surah - an activity that culminates in the guidance which He offers man through His revealed messages, summed up, as it were, in verse 90: "Behold, God enjoins justice, and the doing of good, and generosity towards [one's] fellow-men; and He forbids all that is shameful and all that runs counter to reason, as well as envy."

3.  This Chapter is often referred to as the Chapter of Blessings, or ‘Ni’am’ (سورة النِعَم) because of the many Blessings it recounts, as we shall see.

Verses 1- 2 announce the arrival of God’s Command -which the Associaters were in denial of- and tell of the Angels delivering the ‘spirit’ of God’s Command to whomever God chooses of His worshippers, to warn that:

“…There is no God but I, so be conscious of Me!”

After that, the verses begin to describe God’s Creation:

The Heavens and the Earth, in Truth (3).

The Cognizant Human –an evident ‘Contester’ (4).

And our animals:

·  Cattle and beasts of burden- providing us with warmth, benefit, food (5).

· And also objects of admiration as we take them out and bring them in (6).

PAGE 268 Arabic Qur’an.

·  Carrying our burdens to faraway places we couldn’t easily reach without them.. our Lord is ‘Ra’oof’ and Unceasingly Compassionate (will continue to search for good explanation of رؤوف ) (7(.

·  Horses, mules, donkeys.. both to RIDE and as ‘zeenah,’ or ‘ADORNMENT,’ and He creates what you do not know (8).  (All manners of transportation fall into this category as they afford us a ride AND prestige.)

4. Having mentioned ‘transportation,’ Verse 9 discusses the Path we should pursue of our own free will towards God, forsaking any paths that deviate.  This is by our choice, for had God willed, He could have put us all on the right path (in spite of ourselves).

5. Then the verses turn to the rain which quenches our thirst and waters our vegetation (10), to the different produce in which are Signs for People who Reflect (11), to the night and day, the sun, moon, and stars… all in our service under His command; Signs for People who Secure Knowledge (12).

6.  All that is created for us, on earth, in varying hues and colors… in these are Signs for People who Remember (13).

7. And the final verse in today’s Reading (14) tells us that it is He Who made the sea ‘of service,’ so we can eat, of it, tender meat, wear its ornaments, and observe the ships plough through its waves as we seek God’s Bounty (even in travel!).. all that..  so that we might be Appreciative, by working and being productive in appreciation (which is the opposite of depreciation, as understood from the meaning of ‘shukr!’).  

Enough said!

 

Our next Reading is from HQ 16:15-34.

Peace unto all!

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[i] المقاييس: (عضو) يدلُّ على تجزئةِ الشَّيء. من ذلك العِضْو والعُضْو. والتَّعضية: أن يُعَضِّيَ الذّبيحة أعضاء. والعِضَةُ: القِطعة من الشيء، تقول: عَضّيْتُ الشيء أي وزَّعته. قال الخليل: وقوله تعالى: {الَّذِينَ جَعَلُوا القُرْآنَ عِضِينَ}  [الحجر 91]، أي عِضَة عِضة، ففرَّقوه، آمنوا ببعضه وكَفَرُوا ببعضه. والاسم منه التَّعضية. ومنه الحديث: "لا تَعْضِيَةَ في ميراث" أي لا تَقسِموا ما [لا] يحتمل القَسْم كالسَّيف والدّرَّة وما أشبَهَ ذلك.

الراغب الأصفهاني: عضه- قال تعالى: }جعلوا القرآن عضين{ [الحجر/91]، أي: مفرقا، فقالوا: كهانة، وقالوا أساطير الأولين إلى غير ذلك مما وصفوه به. وقيل: معنى: }عضين{ ما قال تعالى: }أفتؤمنون ببعض الكتاب وتكفرون ببعض{ [البقرة/ 85]، خلاف من قال فيه: }وتؤمنون بالكتاب كله{ [آل عمران/119]. والتعضية: تجزئة الأعضاء، وقد عضيته. قال الكسائي: هو من العضو أو من العضه، وهي شجر، وأصل عضة في لغة عضهة.